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The Finest Worth Many Times More Than Diamonds, Chicago Record. “Are rubies worth more than dia monds?” “Yes, the finest pigeon-blood-colored rubies found near Mandalay, Burmah, are worth from five to ten times the value of diamonds of cqnal weight. The acquisition of these Burmese ruby mines cost the British government a vast sum of money. On the wars of 1828 and 1852 England expended $75, 000,000 and $15,000,000, respectively; and after all that sacrifice of treasure the Burmah and Bombay Trading com pany claimed that King Thebaw of Burmah had arbitrarily revoked the leases by which the company con trolled the output of the ruby mines of Mandalay. “The war of 188, which followed, involved the raising of an army of 30,000 men and an outlay of $5,000,000, but the British government gained control of the long-coveted ruby mines. “The question next presented was, how should they be worked? Several firms were desirous of securing a leace, and after the Indian government had virtually closed with Messrs. Streeter Co., the London jewelers, at an an nual rental of four lakhs of rupees (£ 40,000) for a term of five and a half years it was at first revoked, but after a time was given to Messrs. Streeter Co., who organized the company known as the Burmah Ruby mines (limited), and sent a force of engineers and a quantity of machinery to Bur mah. This year will determine whether or not the mines are as rich as they were supposed to be, and whether the ruby will still retain its place as the most costly of precious stones. “The ruby mines of Burmah are situated in the valley of Magok, fifty one miles from the bank of the Irra waddy river and about seventy-five miles north of Mandalay, at an alti tude of 4,200 feet. Concerning these mines very little was known, as they were always the monopoly of the crown and jealously guarded. It was said that they paid King Theban’s government 100,000 rupees per annum and one year 150,000 rupees. Mining was carried on by forty or fifty wealthy natives, who employed the poorer townspeople at liberal wages, but at present only seventy-eight mines or diggings are in operation. All the gems were sent to Ruby hall, Manda lay, to be valued. “One thing at least we learned from the British occupation of Burmah, which is, that King Theban did not own the dishes of rubies which were said to rival anything known. An ex amination of the jewels, now deposited at the India museum at South Kensing ton, proved that there was only one cabochon ruby of fair, not fine, quality, and several polished sections of a large inferior crystal of emeralds of any value among his entire crown jewels.”
Newspaper Details
Saint Paul Daily Globe
Saint Paul, Minnesota, US
Thu, Jun 20, 1895
Page 6
Full Page
Clipped by
Charlie H.
USA 19 Jul 2026
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